Turbulent Alliance
by Blackfire 18
Summary: Ty Lee confides in Mai after a long night of giving chase and battle, behind Princess Azula's back. The two girl's discuss the possibilities.
1. Old Friends, New Consequences

**Turbulent Alliance**

**Chapter 1: Old Friends, New Consequences**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters there within, they are all property of Nickelodeon. **

Safely tucked into one of the corners of the moving war vehicle sat a young, dark-haired girl of fifteen, newly recruited to a great cause for the Fire Nation. She had removed one of her many, many hidden weapons from the depths of her robes for an inspection, doubling as a means to not have to be social about the entire situation. She was invited, she accepted, and in this chase for the long run. There was nothing to discuss about it. Silence ruled the inner chamber of the two cargo bays in tow—that was if one could ignore the continuous babble of a positively ecstatic acrobatic girl that bounced animatedly at the center of the hold.

"Wow, it's been so long since we've done anything like this. I'm so excited! Just think of all the places we are going to see and the fun people we will meet. What an adventure! Don't you two think so? Ah, I just know my aura is going to change all sorts of different colors on this trip. I still think I'm mostly pink for right now though. I wonder what it might be next? I'm rather fond of orange, but who has ever heard of an orange aura?"

The girl's giggling was interjected by an agitated sigh.

"Ty Lee, this is going to be a very long trip if you cannot find a way to curb that tongue of yours."

The accused immediately stopped in her rather one-sided conversation to cast an uneasy glance at the Fire Nation's princess, who brooded in another corner of the vehicle. Her arms were sternly crossed over her chest with her legs extended before her and crossed at the ankle. She gave the pink-clad girl who occupied the center of the vehicle a low-lidded grimace. Ty Lee returned the gaze with a weak smile.

"I'm sorry Azula, I'm just so tickled to be with the both of you again."

Silence met the statement. Azula turned her attention to the preening of her long, auburn bangs and Mai continued to inspect her blade. Disheartened, Ty Lee slid down onto her belly to stretch on her makeshift bed, gloomily examining her nails.

Mai nestled a little more deeply into her pillows in an attempt to stave off some of the jarring movements of the moving vehicle. It did little to aid her as they ran over yet another form of uneven road. The newly refurbished bay had been put together in haste for the demands of the princess; beds, blankets, and pillows were laid out for the three of them, as well as lanterns hung to light the interior. It was cozy enough, though Mai appreciated her own space. Surely they did not need so many pillows and blankets; the simple futons they laid on should have been well enough to suffice for the journey. The extra space could have been used to carry other items of stock; such as weapons and supplies. But traveling with a princess lent itself to certain prerequisites. Well, at least they were traveling in comfort. Mai did feel as though there could be another lantern added to the two that hung overhead for a little more light with which to study her blade a little more closely, but she supposed her opinion in the matter did not amount to much.

The only sounds in the vehicle now were the churning of machinery gears and the occasional jolt as they ran over a rock or tightly packed mound of dirt and grass. Silence always got Mai to thinking and her mind infallibly wandered to the banished prince of the Fire Nation; her heart's content ever since she had set eyes on him. The handsome, sensitive prince whom hid behind a steely exterior but always meant well for others, had intrigued her since she had been first shyly introduced to him. It was a wonder how he and Azula were related with how contrasting each respective personality responded to circumstance.

And now there she sat, driving ever forward as fate conspired to reunite them in the most hostile of ways.

Her heart began to beat faster at the thought of seeing him once again, after so many years of monotony and wishful thinking. She had imagined so many possibilities of their meeting in the future, but this did not quite fit to her meticulously conjured daydreams. She had never dreamt that she would be hunting down the prince as a traitor to the nation and possibly be responsible for his execution, as Azula so pointedly hinted at.

No, she had dreams of his golden eyes falling on her and he would pause to recognize her for her beauty and skills. He would be awestruck to know of her dexterity in all manner of small blades and knives and projectiles…adore her for her beauty…smitten with her…

"Hey, I know that look…" Ty Lee was smiling deviously over at Mai, who was in fact, turning a light pink. "You're thinking about _him_ again, aren't you Mai?"

Mai quickly glanced up then back down to her hands that now fidgeted with the weapon at rest there. The fleeting look had informed her of quite a bit of information. Ty Lee was still more than happy to tease Mai about her infatuation and not in the least bit shy to share it to anyone within shouting distance. Azula, on the other hand, had regarded Mai with an expression that could be interpreted into many things; the forefront might have been disapproval and hidden beneath that, the comprehension that a conflict could be had later in the mission—with Mai at its core.

Ty Lee's words interrupted Mai's train of thought.

"Aw, you are so cute Mai! Don't you think so Azula?"

Mai did not want to see what else Azula's gaze could denote into, but she could not stop herself as anxiety overthrew her stubbornness. But even as Mai looked up, Ty Lee had shrieked and thrown herself over to one wall.

"BUG!"

There, among the folds of linen, was a rather large-sized black critter scuttling out from where Ty Lee had just been lying down; but all of the girls were so startled by the sound and movement that all of them froze for a moment. The bug skittered in Azula's direction, swiftly climbing the wall close beside the princess' head. Her hand curled into a fist and she drew it back to strike when, as quickly as the lightning she could call forth from her fingertips, a blade embedded into the wall—pinning the insect under its point. The resounding bang seemed to echo a hundred times over inside the compartment.

Azula stared at the weapon and the bug struggling painfully beneath it. The distance between her head and the weapon was a little less than the length of her fist. The princess' gaze turned sharply toward Mai; who gazed back a little wide-eyed. The move had been dictated by immediate instinct, and quite unintentional. The two locked gazes in a battle of will. Azula's gaze was intense upon Mai and the latter wanted nothing more than to drop her eyes in humility, but something in her fought; fought to be heard. A nasty voice issued from somewhere within the depths of Mai's mind.

_See how easily I could kill you?_

Azula's golden eyes had not burned with the intensity they had now in ages—not since one unfortunate guard had not let her leave the premises of the palace of her own free will. Mai felt her breath catch—she was choking under that piercing gaze.

"Aw Mai, you didn't have to kill it." Ty Lee said sorrowfully from where she stood. This seemed to break the tension between the other two girls, if only briefly.

It was a moment before Azula gave Mai a deadly grin; wrenching the weapon out of the wall without looking at it. The insect fell to the ground, still pitifully struggling on its back, and a smart hole now resided in the steel wall.

"Still as good a shot as ever I see."

It was then Mai relented and dropped her gaze. She was gratefully saved having to answer by a smart rap at the door.

"Enter!" Azula snapped and the soldier behind it complied.

"Princess, the targets are in sight." He bowed respectfully, not looking the princess in the eye, and thus not witnessing as her eyes alit with fire.

"Excellent, continue forward and increase speed." The guard bowed out. Azula turned to her friends with a simpering grin. "Time to saddle up girls."

* * *

**A/N: What began as a three page story became a ten page monster as I, once again, got carried away with myself--and this isn't even the section that I wanted to post in the first place! I think it's a safe bet that this will be a three chapter story and this first bit is just a teaser. I really wanted to focus on Mai and Ty Lee's relationship because those two are practically polar opposites--outgoing versus reserved, optimistic versus pessimistic, talkative versus quiet...I just hoped I pulled off their characters appropriately. If not, please don't hesitate to point out where you disagree!**

**Still, this story is going to be Mai centered (absolutely love that girl) and her relationship with Azula and Ty Lee. So stay tuned!**

**Please review!**

**Blackfire 18**


	2. Inauspicious Pursuit

**Turbulent Alliance**

**Chapter 2: Inauspicious Pursuit**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters there within, they are all property of Nickelodeon. **

All and all, nothing too exciting had happened; or at least that was what Mai thought of the whole endeavor. She fired a few rounds, some dirt and fire was thrown—nothing really became of it. Their quarry got away and left the three of them yet another trail to pursue. Azula was becoming impatient. They had already been pursuing all night and, knowing Azula, she wanted to get the task done quickly and efficiently or at least see some action.

With a resigned snarl, the princess retired to the confines of the first cargo bay and laid herself down to rest; the other two girls following suit. The lights were dimmed within the hold and there was some shuffling around as the girls adjusted pillows and drew up blankets. The three of them should get some rest before they caught up to their targets again.

Though try as Mai might, she could not get comfortable on her bed and what with the bumping and jarring of the war tank, sleep was not coming easily to her. Every time she started to nod off, the tank would give a great jolt and she would tumble out of the fragile barriers of sleep that she had just begun to slip into. Frustration and fatigue was beginning to fill the usually empty feeling in her chest and she was not fond of the negative sensation.

She rolled onto her other side to find the occupant's eyes of the next bed over intent upon her. Ty Lee was just as awake as she was. The former smiled sadly at Mai and shook her head; she could not get any sleep either. Mai looked past Ty Lee to find Azula's back turned to the both of them, apparently trying to feign sleep, as she was still breathing normally. The dark-haired girl's eyes once again returned to Ty Lee's and she shrugged. Ty Lee dropped the gaze and with a soft sigh, shut her eyes and tried to slip into some form of slumber.

It had been such a long night without much success of capture or sleep, and outside of the small train, the sun was beginning to rise.

* * *

The three girls were roused that morning at the abrupt stop of the tank. Their lizard mounts in the second cargo bay shrieked and jostled; and the noise in their own hold was cacophonic as items slid out of place, lanterns squealed on their loose posts, and gears screamed beneath them. Mai, who had just begun to dream of something pleasant, was rolled over at the sudden halt. She awoke with a started yelp in a twist of confusion and scrambled to grasp something to keep her from the rough and tumble. She soon found herself crashed against Ty Lee, who squeaked in alarm, and the doubled weight increased the momentum as the pair collided in a tangle of pillows and blankets with the princess into the far wall. The girls were quite knotted in blankets and limbs; shocked and disoriented. Mai groaned as she tried to remove a knee that had buried into her back, she was not sure whose knee it was, but it was also pressing a particularly large blade concealed there; but her arms were too caught up in one remarkably twisted bed cover. A cry of rage rang in Mai's ears.

One startled and irate princess shoved at an unlucky Ty Lee from beneath the heap, items flying in every direction. Mai saw one frilly pillow fall out of sight; its edges singed. Once free, the firebender immediately stood and strode to the front of the vehicle to demand the cause of the disturbance, leaving Mai and Ty Lee to extract themselves from the mess. The poor acrobatic girl smoothed out her ruffled hair and rubbed at a spot on her stomach where Azula had hit her particularly hard. Mai silently picked herself up from the crash and dusted off her clothes. A nervous guard informed the princess that the clear path of bison hair had ended and they were unsure of where to go next. Livid, Azula flung open the door to the cargo bay and trod out into the sun of late morning, Mai and Ty Lee behind her.

Mai stepped squinting into the light of day and grimly noted that the sun was already halfway into the sky and she had not logged nearly any of the sleep she had wanted to. She folded her arms within the confines of her sleeves to feel that none of her weapons had shifted out of place after such a rough awakening. Ty Lee appeared beside her, yawning and stretching.

"I prefer to wake up to the call of the Platapubear."

"I prefer to sleep in." Mai replied candidly and was treated to a fit of giggles from Ty Lee. Mai gave her the barest of smiles until a third voice interjected.

"I prefer less idle chatter and more focus on the task at hand."

Mai and Ty Lee silently proceeded to where the princess stood rigidly.

The trail had indeed stopped in the wide river of a forest. The three girls came abreast to where the hair clung to several stones in the river. Azula knelt and reached forward to the loose tendrils in the water.

"Wads of wet fur," Mai wrinkled her nose in disgust, "how delightful."

"Hmm, they're not wads." Ty Lee suggested benevolently. "They're more like bundles, or bunches? It's got an "uh" sound."

Mai's eyes followed the princess as she walked past, but seeing Ty Lee's hopeful expression prompted Mai to put in her two cents, even though the exact phrase for an amassing of hair did not seem all that critical at the moment.

"Clumps?" Mai suggested with an upraised eyebrow.

Ty Lee gasped and clapped her hands together.

"Clumps! They're clumps!"

And before Mai could take a breath or shy out of the way, Ty Lee had caught her in another inescapable hug. Mai pursed her lips; she could have done with a simple "thank you". On the other side of Ty Lee, a trail of coarse, white hair set off in a fixed direction. Azula had to be informed. Pushing Ty Lee firmly from her, she spoke, but not before catching a slightly hurt look on the pink-clad girl's face.

"The trail goes this way."

Azula was not so quickly convinced. She turned from them and discovered some other clue to the puzzle. Mai glanced toward the tops of the trees where Azula stared. Something big had broken through the tips of the trees.

"The Avatar is trying to give us the slip. You two head in that direction and keep an eye out for the bison. I'll follow this trail." She fell silent as she glared ahead for a moment. "Meet back here when you are through. I would prefer them alive if you can manage it. Now go."

Mai and Ty Lee obediently mounted their lizards and were hurtling toward their goal under the watchful eye of Princess Azula.

* * *

Surfacing from the river soaking wet and weary, Mai and Ty Lee collapsed to the bank panting and wringing out their clothes and hair. That oversized fuzz ball was really beginning to get on Mai's nerves. That was twice that blasted creature had pulled the same attack on them with neither of them any the wiser. Next time, there was going to be a blade with that beast's name on it. What use would a blind flying bison be to the Avatar then? Curiously, the Avatar had not been in this battle. So then the other fur trail Mai had discovered was made by the Avatar himself, and Azula had gone after him.

Mai's eyes shot to the sky when a big white mass entered her peripheral vision. The Avatar's companions were escaping again. They had failed.

"No luck for us this time, I suppose." Ty Lee said brightly from Mai's left. Mai shut her eyes and shook her head, rising to stand.

"I'm less worried for them as I am for us when we return empty handed." Mai reached a hand out to Ty Lee who graciously accepted. The raven-haired girl had already begun walking toward her mount who wandered aimlessly around the trees when Ty Lee's shocked gasp caught Mai's attention.

"Aw, the poor little thing."

Mai followed Ty Lee's gaze to find a large, dark-colored mound on the bank further down the river. Her fire lizard was dead, its neck twisted at an impossible angle. That blast from the waterbender must have killed it on contact and the current had washed its body up on shore. A birdlike scavenger was already hard at work in feasting on the carcass. Mai frowned. Azula was not going to be pleased with this at all.

"I feel just awful for it. I jumped for safety and the poor critter got the full blow. That waterbender girl is going to pay for this." Ty Lee slammed a fist into her palm. Mai was mounted as she rode over to Ty Lee.

"Come on, we can share this one." Mai offered, lightly patting the space behind her on the saddle. Ty Lee stared up at Mai.

"Azula is not going to be happy about this, is she?"

Mai shook her head again.

"Maybe not. Those two we fought were not our intended targets. Azula went after the Avatar herself. We might be spared the Princess' wrath yet."

Ty Lee appeared reassured by the words and she vaulted up onto the surviving lizard, hugging to Mai as she whipped the reigns, sending the creature scurrying back towards the war tank.

_We _might_ be spared, _Mai thought grimly_, though I doubt it._

"So you two just couldn't wait to bathe at the first opportunity?"

The sun had already set and the faint burst of light left in its wake was all that remained when Mai and Ty Lee had returned to the war tank, still wet from their involuntary swim in the river to find a sarcastic princess who had only just pulled up herself to the site. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of them. "I was looking forward to having prisoners to humiliate; perhaps I should take my anger out on you as penance." There was a pause as Azula glared down to the girls from her mount, waiting for any comment. The two girls bowed their heads. Mai noticed that the Princess had no captives with her either. Where was the Avatar? Azula pulled at one of her bangs, glancing sharply to either side of the girls. "What happened to the other Fire Lizard?"

Mai and Ty Lee glanced at one another.

"It did not survive the initial assault. I am sorry Azula." Ty Lee bowed deeply before the princess. Mai mimicked her, but said nothing. Azula scowled and dismounted, striding directly up to where Ty Lee stood, stopping about an arms breadth from the acrobatic girl.

"We have only just begun and already you have lost us a mount." Azula snarled lowly. Ty Lee did not dare to look up. "There is not any room on this team to spoil our chances of success. Are you not conscious of our limited supplies and that we no longer tread on homeland? Equipment will be difficult to come by, be it weapons or mounts. I expected more of you." The pink-clad girl winced. The princess' last words were bit out; stressing her displeasure, but her anger seemed to subside into a cold acceptance as she turned her back to the other girls. "I suppose the damage has already been done, but I insist that next time you coordinate yourselves a little more carefully."

A chilled pause hung on the air.

"I expect a full report in our compartment on what happened to you two." And Azula began to walk back toward the war tank. Mai had resumed her normal posture and stole a glance at Ty Lee; the latter girl had also stood up from her bow, though her eyes were still on the ground. Azula returned a moment later with a small container of oils and salts. She smirked at the both of them, but only Mai saw it for Ty Lee's gaze was still upon the ground. "I don't think it fair that you two had a chance to bathe. Might as well make use of the river while we have one." She stated loftily. "Then we can be on the move again," Azula looked sharply at Ty Lee, "unless you would prefer to stay here." The acrobatic girl shuffled her feet timidly, feeling the princess' hot gaze. The princess seemed to understand the notion and instead her golden eyes turned to the dark-haired girl who stood opposite her. "What do you think, Mai?"

Mai again felt as though she was being tested for her loyalty—scrutinized for her behavior under various stresses, as Azula had done with the trade negotiation in Omashu. She looked up to Azula, who waited edgily for her reply; arms crossed firmly over her chest and foot tapping impatiently on the ground. Ty Lee had finally raised her gaze to match Mai's, and her expression was beseeching. She was yearning for a proper night's worth of sleep. Mai looked to the ground around her and then up to the sky with its light fading fast.

"I think it would be in our best interest to stay the night." She began slowly. Ty Lee's face brightened and Azula's gaze hardened. "The sun has already set and we have no leads to follow on any of our targets. It will be easier to track them at sunrise than in the dark and it would allow us all a decent night's worth of sleep." At this, even Azula's expression softened slightly. "I am sure that the Avatar and his companions are too exhausted to do much traveling tonight, as we have pursued them all of last night and today. They are probably sleeping as we speak."

Ty Lee gave Mai a thumb's up from behind Azula as the princess took a moment to decide.

"Fine." Azula said tersely. "We stay the night. But let it be known that we travel nonstop hereafter. I will not give them any advantage over us." Finally, Azula's demeanor became a little more teasing. "Now get out of those wet clothes before the both of you get sick and my team falls to ruin."

Both girls bowed to the princess with words of thanks and made their way back to the tank as Azula headed toward the river for a well deserved soak.

"Do you think we should take a proper bath?" Ty Lee mumbled to Mai as they walked back to the tank. Mai turned the idea over in her mind. She would prefer one, especially since they would be staying the night; Azula would surely be relentless once they started up the pursuit again. Baths would be far, few and in between.

Mai had still not made up her mind when they both arrived to the cargo bay. She paused as she reached up to pull herself in; the entire interior had been tidied up while they were away. Beds were made, pillows in place, items neatly arranged.

"Wow! Everything's been cleaned up! That was awful nice of them." Ty Lee leapt inside and spun to examine the hold. After one complete spin, the acrobat agilely slipped into a cross-legged sit, to grin at Mai. "It's like nothing happened this morning."

Mai sighed in bored agreement.

"Nothing at all."

* * *

**A/N: Haha! I just noticed in the first chapter, that Mai didn't say anything at all--she had lines in this one though! Right, back on topic...**

**I realize Azula is more the type to doggedly pursue her prey to the point of exhaustion, but I needed an anchor for the next, and finalchapter (consequently the entire conception of this story). Still, I hope that most of the rest was in character and acceptable. Ty Lee, the poor dear, unlucky things just seem to find her. Hopefully Mai will be more obliging of Ty Lee in the last chapter and Azula will be more pleasant to her companions!**

**At any rate, I hope you all enjoyed this section and will stick around for one last installment.**

**Please Review!**

**Blackfire 18**


	3. Moonlit Reminisce

**Turbulent Alliance**

**Chapter 3: Moonlit Reminisce**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters there within, they are all property of Nickelodeon. **

A soft tapping awoke Mai from her dreamless sleep. Forgetting where she was, her arm tensed and a serrated blade shot into her open palm, though she relaxed when a familiar voice called to her from the darkness.

"Mai…"

It was whispered very softly. The raven-haired girl ignored the call, now wishing nothing more than to fall back into her slumber, but she had all too soon forgotten just how persistent the owner of the voice could be.

"Mai." the whisper came a little louder and the tapping a little stronger.

_Just mime sleep, eventually she will get bored and…_

"Mai!" A light push found Mai with her eyes open in the darkness.

"What is it Ty Lee?" Mai whispered back, blinking sleepily; her eyebrows were furrowed in slight irritation.

"Could I speak with you about something?"

There was a measured pause in which the dark-haired girl weighed her options. All of them needed their rest for the journey that was ahead and Mai was finally able to slip into a more easy sleep without the constant jostling of the tank. She and Ty Lee were lucky to be stopped at all to have a proper sleep. It made Mai question again just how precisely the princess' mind worked.

With no leads on where the avatar had fled to, they were stuck in the forest; at least until sunrise. Now the three of them slept in the silent tank…or at least some of them tried to.

Mai wanted to snatch what sparse winks of sleep she could before they were on the chase again, but Ty Lee's voice held a note of plead in it and Mai's conscience was prickling at her sense of duty to aid her companion…no matter how tired she was.

"What do you want to talk about?" the raven-haired girl asked softly in the darkness.

"Could I talk to you…outside?" Ty Lee inquired, having deftly moved to the side of the vehicle and opened the door a crack. The moonlight struck Mai's eyes and she shut them quickly, willing a rising anger away. Her eyes adjusted and she groggily propped herself up to an elbow, throwing a sharp glance over at the princess who still slept on her left. Azula even looked angry in her sleep. Her eyebrows were pressed together in a frown and her lips held no semblance of anything pleasant. Her breathing was steady and deep; the princess was indeed asleep.

Mai looked back out into the open night before her and of the hopeful Ty Lee hovering at the edge of the doorway. The governor's daughter sighed and silently pushed herself up to stand, stepping gracefully out of the vehicle and into the open. The brisk night air shocked some of the drowsiness out of Mai, but fatigue still itched at her eyes. Ty Lee quietly shut the door most of the way behind her, not daring to make any more noise that might rouse their leader, and turned to face Mai. She moved forward a step and froze.

"What's that for?" Ty Lee pointed at the blade that was still being held by the darker-haired girl. Mai numbly drew her attention to it and silently slid the weapon back into its holster on her elbow. "Don't those things ever poke you when you sleep?"

Mai turned to look at Ty Lee with crossed arms and a grim expression that said: "Did you roll me out of bed to ask me _that_?" The acrobatic girl giggled softly and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, I was only curious..."

"What is it you wished to discuss?" Mai interrupted, inclining her head slightly and feeling a wave of drowsiness seize her despite the crisp night air. She tilted her head back up to clear it.

Ty Lee gave her a bright smile, taking care to tread closer to the river. She gave a silent gesture for Mai to follow, and too tired to argue, the other girl complied. Still, the dark-haired girl dimly noted that they were putting distance between themselves and the tank that held a slumbering princess. Ty Lee stopped under the cover of a tree; finally giving her full attention to the girl she had so insistently prodded to speak to.

"It's been a while since we've all been together, hasn't it Mai?" Ty Lee said almost dreamily. Mai nodded, exhaling a sound of affirmation, absently folding her hands inside her long sleeves. "We haven't seen each other since we were kids…then we all went on our separate ways. How have you been Mai?"

Mai blinked once. This was not at all what she believed the acrobatic girl to have summoned her in the middle of the night to discuss, but with the combination of the crisp night air and short walk, Mai felt some of her alertness returning to her. The governor's daughter answered, shrugging vaguely:

"Bored, unimpressed, generally disconnected with the world; you know, the usual." There was a pause. "And how have you been? What convinced you to leave the circus?" Mai asked, her curiosity piqued, though she could have guessed what, or whom, convinced Ty Lee to leave. The other girl dropped her gaze to the grassy ground.

"I love the circus, I feel so at home there and everyone is very nice. They are like a family to me. Well, when Azula came with talk of a mission, I…I refused her at first." Ty Lee cast a nervous glance at the war vehicle then gazed back at Mai. The dark-haired girl stared at her blankly. "Azula seemed all right with it at first, but then she attended my performance that evening…" the pink-clad girl drew a figure on the ground with her toe, "it didn't go so well."

Mai nodded her understanding. The princess had a fierce determination to seeing that her goals were reached. With a deceivingly warm smile and honeyed voice, Azula would cruelly twist any knife, wreck any havoc, pull any stop to having her will be done. She was a goddess and all else were her humble servants. Mai could only imagine what Azula had done precisely to change the acrobat's mind.

"So, here I am now," Ty Lee stretched both her arms out to present herself, only to drop them back to their sides at her companion's vacant expression. "But you, Mai; you seemed more than eager to join us."

The shuriken specialist turned her gaze toward the heavens. The stars seemed brighter away from the lights of the city. The darkness enveloped her like the comfortable quilts of her bed; she was at home here. She inhaled a deep breath of air filled with the scent of pine needles and earthy river water.

"I am so happy to be out of Oma…New Ozai. Nothing interesting ever happened there. Father was always concerned with work, Mother was caring for Tom-Tom; I would be left to my own devices. Father did have a firing range built for me, but it's not quite the same as a living target." Mai flexed the fingers of one hand, the familiar urge to call forth a blade tugged at her awareness. The Fire Nation was more renowned for supplying creatures to practice with…but those were not quite the same either. "If I thought the Fire Nation had been boring, then New Ozai was positively tedious. I surely would have lost my mind…It was a liberation when you and Princess Azula showed up."

Ty Lee nodded slowly, gazing at Mai wide-eyed. Usually Mai was not much of a conversationalist, but those long months in the fallen Earth Kingdom city must have given the dark-haired girl quite a story to tell.

"You know," Ty Lee ventured cautiously, "we will eventually run into Zuko." She watched carefully for Mai's reaction, but the only hint to the other girl's discomfort was a slight rise of her eyebrows. "What will you do when we see him?"

Silence reigned in the darkness as Mai stared idly at the toes of her shoes. The governor's daughter comprehended fully what Ty Lee was asking: Would you go against Azula to protect the boy you had affections for as a youth?

An image of the young prince blazed across her mind's eye and her heart quickened. His face was soft and handsome and he wore a rare smile. She had clung hopelessly to the scant memories; it had been so long ago…She wondered what he must look like now.

"I…I am not sure." Mai replied honestly, not seeing Ty Lee's mischievous grin.

"You could always blow him a kiss…"

Mai's eyes shot to her, easily staggered by the scandalous comment, cheeks turning pink. This resulted in a giggle from the acrobatic girl.

"Oh Mai, you really are so cute; I can't believe you have been crushing on Zuko for so long now. That is so romantic. It's like the love that can never be but there is a small ray of hope…" She sighed dreamily, clasping her hands beside her cheek. "You will invite me to the wedding, right?"

The dark-haired girl's light blush had become a deep red.

"Ty Lee," Mai shushed her heatedly, "you embarrass me."

The acrobatic girl's grin only widened, but she did fall silent at Mai's plea.

"Are you missing your family yet?" Ty Lee gasped suddenly. "Do you ever wonder what happened to your little brother? I hope he's all right." Concern washed over Ty Lee's face as she clasped her hands before her. "I would feel just awful if anything bad had happened to him."

Mai unconsciously traced a hidden stiletto she had sheathed at the tank with her fingertips. In stark contrast to Ty Lee, Mai's expression had not changed at the mention of her younger sibling.

"No, I haven't thought of my family."

Mai's eyes narrowed slightly as she remembered their adversaries standing across from the three of them on the platform high above the city to commence the hostage trade. The boy holding Tom-Tom appeared very gentle with her brother and the Avatar himself did not seem the type to harm a child. There was a genuine moment of apprehension that had thrust through Mai when she saw her brother and the boy holding him slide toward the edge of the platform, but they had stopped just before slipping over it. She had sought to retrieve him but the waterbending girl had stood in her way. Even so, she did not feel any distress on her brother's behalf; he would be safe. "I think my brother was in good hands. I do not believe the Avatar would have seen any harm come to him."

Ty Lee nodded, consoled, and the two girls fell silent.

Mai's light amber eyes studied Ty Lee closely. The latter girl met her eyes for a brief moment before she dropped her gaze, a sad frown present on her features.

"You seem displeased to be here." Mai stated quietly; her mind whirling with calculations at Ty Lee's hesitation.

"Oh no, it is so good to see you and Azula again, my childhood friends; and on an adventure as grand as this." The girl said cheerfully, though Mai could still see a sadness hovering over the acrobat's face. "I just…can't think why Azula would need us for her mission."

Again, Ty Lee looked sheepishly for some form of approval from Mai's features, but the other girl had already turned her gaze out over the river; brooding.

"I suppose it was worth consideration from our Academy days. The three of us made a skillful, proficient team." Mai suggested with a slight tilt of her head toward the tumbling waters.

"Of course," Ty Lee supplied quickly, waving her hand at the conceivable deduction though not entirely convinced, "but doesn't Azula have soldiers and ships and whatnot at her disposal? Why summon us?"

Mai's brow furrowed in contemplation for a moment.

"Soldiers would be rather slow moving, difficult to account for, supply and house. Ships would only be useful at sea and in wide, deep rivers. The objective is to pursue and capture a small group of roving people and to have an army behind you is unnecessary. With just the three of us traveling, it is more efficient and thus more effective. And besides," Mai turned her head to look at Ty Lee, "we are her friends."

The other girl appeared slightly deflated as she considered the reasonable explanations Mai had provided, but made no rebuttal. A sudden thought occurred to the raven-haired girl.

"Why do you not simply ask Princess Azula of her intentions?"

Ty Lee looked as though Mai had just socked her in the stomach. The idea that had been hovering dimly at the edges of Mai's perception had suddenly come into focus. This was why the acrobatic girl had woken Mai in the middle of the night, to discuss what Azula had planned for them without the princess' knowledge of it.

Ty Lee's words confirmed Mai's suspicions.

"Well, I…I did not want to upset Azula."

Mai shook her head lightly.

"You should not behave that way; are we not all friends? Do we not laugh and fight and argue as friends do? We may have been a little rougher as children, but we are more mature now. We should support one another in times of tribulations and give comfort in times of need..."

Ty Lee's eyes had a shimmer of unspent tears in them. "We are still friends, aren't we Mai?" she asked almost inaudibly. The question shocked the raven-haired girl, shocked so much that her eyes had widened and her arms had slipped from their rigid fold at her chest.

"Of course, Ty Lee." Mai said softly and the pink-clad girl launched herself into Mai's startled embrace. Mai numbly patted the latter's back. Just what exactly had Azula done to convince Ty Lee to join the quest? The governor's daughter had hoped that her words would have calmed the acrobat and the issue would have been resolved at that.

"Sometimes I wonder if Azula even likes me." Ty Lee sniffled quietly beside Mai's ear. Mai was at a loss of words. "There are times when I just feel like we are just being used, only to be tossed aside when our purpose is met. Why else would she have called us out of the blue?"

On the other side of Ty Lee, Mai stared fixedly ahead, a frown creasing her brow. So, the chipper acrobatic girl had arrived at the same conclusion Mai had the day Azula's was carried into Omashu. It had seemed a little odd at first why Azula had come with talk of a mission; and Mai had accepted her proposal on the grounds that she had just reviewed to Ty Lee: boredom, friendship, longing. However, as the day progressed, Mai could not help the feeling that her loyalties were being tested. Even now as the three of them journeyed together, the princess had been nothing if not bent on achieving her goal; and her treatment of Ty Lee seemed to have depreciated even more than in their younger years. Yes, Mai could be as cold as Azula at times, but not nearly as heartless.

Even so, it was not their place to question the princess' intentions. Mai would just do as she was told and if it came a time that Azula would leave them when she was finished with her mission, it was just as well. At least it got Mai out of New Ozai and away from her family to stretch her independent legs for a little while. The governor's daughter was ill affected by the princess' manipulative ways, but she had forgotten how Ty Lee was more sensitive to such controlling behavior.

"I feel like you are the only friend I have left." Ty Lee whispered through a choked sob. Mai felt her throat constrict. Unable to put any thoughts into words, she hugged Ty Lee a little more tightly, knowing instinctively the action would comfort the other girl. "What would Azula think of me like this?" the pink-clad girl giggled softly, but Mai had no answer for her.

Unfortunately, assistance came in a most disastrous way.

"Not talking about me are you?"

Azula had appeared in the darkness before the two girls, eyeing them like a great cat that had just found some juicy prey. Ty Lee immediately released Mai, whose expression had returned to neutral, and swiftly rubbed her eyes dry to face the princess. Though Mai appeared lax, her muscles were tensed; the pair of them was in a great deal of trouble.

The moonlight lit a pale, somewhat smirking face that held a treacherous danger behind glaring golden eyes. One impatient hand held her hip, the other pulled at one of her auburn bangs; her rigid stance seemed an impossible barrier between them and the shelter of the tank. "What are you two doing up and out of bed so late at night, especially after arguing that we stay? Did not the both of you insist on recovering sleep?" Azula's hard gaze shifted between Mai and Ty Lee.

"We were discussing tactics, princess Azula." Mai bowed respectively to their leader. Azula crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh?" the princess did not seem entirely convinced with this story. "This could not wait until morning?"

"Yes," Ty Lee continued for Mai. "I was trying to show Mai a different combat move I had just remembered and I did it incorrectly. I just felt so bad about hitting her that I had to give her a hug."

Azula's eyes shot to Mai, but the raven-haired girl had already turned her surprised gaze to an impartial one, and met the princess' golden eyes. Ty Lee almost never told lies. She shrugged indifferently with a stiff rub to her stomach.

"Ty Lee can deliver a good kick."

The princess studied the both of them for a moment, from Mai's offended gut to Ty Lee's lively, slightly guilty smile. Azula smiled at the both of them.

"Well then, since we are all rested enough to practice new maneuvers, I believe we are more than prepared to be in pursuit again. I had the guards scout the area while we slept and we now have a heading. Let's go." She stood back in a mock gesture to allow the other girls passage through the trees to the tank. Ty Lee obeyed immediately; Mai was a little slower to follow. Those golden eyes were boring into Mai, a veiled threat seemed to be lurking on the shadows of the princess' face, but she turned to follow Ty Lee as the girl passed. Just as Mai entered the frame of trees Azula had been standing in a moment before, the princess spoke.

"Oh, and Mai, I believe this belongs to you."

As quickly as Azula could summon lightening from her fingertips, a metallic streak glinted in the moonlight as it flew across the clearing and embedded itself in a tree just as arms length from Mai. The raven-haired girl's eyes scoured the blade, the same that had killed an offending insect earlier, and then her eyes shot to Azula. The princess flashed Mai a predatory grin, her golden eyes glinting just as Mai's blade had a moment ago.

Those poisonous words once again slithered its venomous track into Mai's mind.

_See how easily I could kill you?_

The temporarily stunned Mai soon dropped into a humble bow of gratitude for the princess' kind gesture of returning her blade to her.

"My thanks for its…safe return."

She heard the retreat of the princess' light footsteps and she stood once again to watch her pair of companions go. Without glancing at the blade, she freed the stiletto from its wooden sheath in one sharp movement and hid it back within the confines of her robes.

Troubled times lay ahead and not just for the nations at war. Hopefully this turbulent alliance would hold until their goal was achieved with the three of them for the better.

Mai set her jaw as she picked her way back to the tank, she would be ready when the time came.

* * *

**A/N: It is COMPLETED! (literally punches the clock) Yeouch, that hurts!**

**Randomness aside, this was really the bit I intended to post from the beginning and thus the length is well...lengthy! It took forever because I'm actually in the process of moving, but I finally got the chance to hop onto my computer and finish it up. (Lots of revising) There was still more I could add, but I didn't want to overwhelm anyone (especially myself, HAHA!) I wanted an explanation especially for Mai's actions on Tom-Tom at the hostage trade, and I truly believe she thought her brother in safe hands, or that she was capable of taking her brother back by force, all the while careful of Azula's critical eye. Mai's a smart one, she is! I hope I gave an interesting, if brief, fill about Ty Lee and Mai's relationship. Mai sometimes seemed irritated by what Ty Lee says and does, too happy about things in general; but they are still friends. That's my take on it anyway.**

**At any rate, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter for this story and will keep an eye out for the few other Avatar story idea's I have.**

**Please review, I deeply appreciate them! **

**Blackfire 18**


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